Bassong omitted from Cameroon squad

Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong has not been included in the Cameroon squad for next month's African Nations Cup.

PUBLISHED: 13:54, Wed, Dec 23, 2009

Sebastien Bassong [PA]

The 23-year-old, who moved to White Hart Lane from Newcastle in the summer, missed a couple of qualifying games but had been expected to join team-mate Benoit Assou-Ekotto in Paul Le Guen's 23-man group.

His omission will come as a boost for Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who has been without central defenders Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate for much of the season due to injuries.

Le Guen also picked the uncapped pair of Schalke defender Joel Matip and Valenciennes goalkeeper Ndy Assembe alongside the experienced Rigobert Song, who will participate in his eighth ANC, and the tournament's record goalscorer Samuel Eto'o of Inter Milan.

The Indomitable Lions, beaten finalists in the 2008 tournament, will spend six days in Kenya from January 5 before heading to Angola, where they will face Group D games against Gabon, Zambia and Tunisia.